DCS EDUCATIONAL INDIA’s Post

Top News of the Week: 1. Funding: - During the week, 26 Indian startups raised around $421.29 million in funding. These deals count 4 growth-stage deals and 16 early-stage deals while 6 startups kept their transaction details undisclosed. - On a weekly basis, startup funding slipped 14% to $421.29 million as compared to around $490.32 million raised during the previous week. - Among the growth-stage deals, 4 startups raised $385.61 million in funding this week. Ride-hailing app Rapido spearheaded with a $200 million worth unicorn round. Cross-border trade fintech firm Drip Capital raised $113 million followed by D2C jewellery retailer Bluestone and food delivery and grocery platform Swiggy with $72 million and $0.61 million in funding, respectively. - Two growth-stage startups that did not disclose the transaction details are Xolopak and Plan B. - 16 early-stage startups secured funding worth $35.68 million during the week. Proptech startup Justo Realfintech led the list followed by D2C retail brand Nutrabay, a platform for booking hostel accommodations The Hosteller, chemical recycling and sustainability startup RecommerceX, and fabless semiconductor design startup BigEndian among others. - 4 startups that did not disclose the funding amount raised are; Nautical Wings Aerospace, ReCircle, 0xPPL, and Carrum. 2. Top Hirings & Exits: - Mohit Rajani, formerly with Meta, has joined Meesho as a CPO. - Freshworks onboarded former ServiceNow executive Murali Swaminathan as CTO - CoinDCX appointed Prashant Verma as chief growth and marketing officer, Wellbeing Nutrition onboarded Harleen Bhatti as the head of growth, and Nykaa (Kay Beauty) hired Sukhleen Aneja as SVP and Business Head. - Adda247’s Co-founder Chandan Singh and CaratLane’s MD and CEO Avnish Anand resigned from their respective companies. 3. M&A: - Hearing care provider Hearzap has acquired Speech and Hearing Care to expand its market share in Bihar and Jharkhand, while Yatra has acquired Globe Travels to strengthen its position in the corporate travel sector and increase its customer base. 4. Layoffs: - Airmeet, a virtual event startup, laid off around 80% (30 employees) of its tech team and some employees from its product and design teams. - Dozee, a healthtech startup, also laid off around 40-50 employees from its on-field, customer success, sales, and marketing teams. 5. Other Developments: - Fampay launches UPI app Namaspay for foreign travelers in India - Ola Electric to bring three-wheeler to market soon - Zepto to launch Buy Now Pay Later service: Zepto Postpaid - Mygate launches smart door locks; enters consumer electronics - EaseMyTrip ventures into electric bus manufacturing - Swiggy follows Zomato, pilots large order fleet in Delhi-NCR Stay Updated. Stay Informed. Stay Ahead. #StartupFunding #InvestmentNews #FundingRound #IndianStartups #GrowthStageFunding #EarlyStageFunding #RapidoUnicorn #DripCapital #Bluestone #Swiggy

#WeeklyRoundup: A report on Indian starup funding, mergers, acquisitions, fund launches, financial performance, layoffs, et al. This week, equivalent to 27 Indian startups raised funding amounting to nearly $307.8 Mn. Seven growth-stage startups raised $141 Mn while 17 early-stage startups scooped funding worth $166.8 Mn during the week. On a weekly basis, startup funding shrank 20% to $307.8 Mn as compared to $384.16 Mn in the previous week. The week witnessed four startup-focused fund launches. GetVantage has launched the Rise-Up Fund, dedicating Rs 100 Cr to supporting women entrepreneurs’ businesses with capital, aiming to deploy the funds within the next 12 months. Community management app MyGate announced employees stock buyback program for more than 50 employees. [New launches] ▪️ Flipkart launches UPI services to counter third-party apps ▪️ Cashfree Payments unveils a new payment solution for software platforms ▪️ Gupshup rolled out Conversation Cloud to facilitate AI-backed B2C conversations ▪️ OYO to launch self-operated premium hotels under the ‘Palette’ brand ▪️ ZestMoney’s ex-CEO Lizzie Chapman to launch new venture, SwiffyLabs [Financial results this week] ▪️ ERGOS gross revenue crosses Rs 200 Cr in FY23; losses stagnant ▪️ Yubi posts Rs 328 Cr revenue and Rs 482 Cr loss in FY23 ▪️ Trell revenue plummeted 94% to Rs 5 Cr in FY23; losses stood at Rs 59 Cr ▪️ BigHaat India’s gross revenue nears Rs 700 Cr in FY23 ▪️ Healthians posts Rs 224 Cr revenue and Rs 184 Cr loss in FY23 [News flash this week] ▪️ Infibeam Avenues receives RBI’s final nod for Payment Aggregator license ▪️ Flipkart to take on Zepto, Blinkit with quick commerce foray ▪️ Google agrees to temporarily restore delisted apps ▪️ Karnataka withdraws the electric bike taxi scheme citing its misuse ▪️ TechFini partners with National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI) to offer credit line on UPI ▪️ NITI Aayog to roll out the initiative to create DPI for policymaking and governance ▪️ Antfin offloaded a 2% stake in Zomato via bulk deals worth Rs 2,827 Cr ▪️ BlackBuck (Zinka Logistics Solutions Pvt. Ltd.) to raise $300 million, gearing up for IPO ▪️ Meesho to raise funds from Peak XV Partners, Tiger Global Management via a secondary transaction Report via Entrackr https://lnkd.in/g5cEjbny

🚨𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 [𝟏𝟗-𝟐𝟒 𝐅𝐞𝐛] This week 26 Indian startups raised funding worth $129.5 Mn, including 5 growth-stage and 21 early-stage deals (2 undisclosed). Proptech startup RentoMojo led the pack with $25 Mn funding followed by D2C ice cream brand NIC, Yulu, VidyutTech, Samunnati, Varaha, PURE EV®, Pratech Brands Pvt. Ltd., Auxilo Finserve Private Limited and Ghost Kitchens India among others. The weekly funding again shrank by a significant margin, however, the week did not witness any major #layoffs or business #shutdowns. Additionally, the week witnessed three startup-focused funds: Aroa Venture, Spyre PropTech, and Equirus Capital. In another development, IRCTC partnered with Swiggy to deliver pre-ordered meals at four railway stations, following a similar move by Zomato four months ago. This reflects a growing trend of leveraging food delivery platforms for railway catering services. Meanwhile, Flipkart is reportedly in talks to acquire Dunzo, a hyperlocal delivery startup facing financial challenges for nearly a year. However, complexities surrounding Dunzo’s ownership, particularly its association with Reliance, are complicating the potential deal. Additionally, the RBI has moved to provide more safeguards to customers affected by its actions against Paytm Payments Bank . This includes migrating ‘@paytm’ handles to other banks and advising customers to make alternative arrangements before March 15, 2024. For mergers & acquisitions, fund launches, departures, new launches, financial results, and news flash of the week, read here👇

🔎Info Edge & AlphaWave backed 1K Kirana, which raised ~ $36 Mn (more than 250cr) funding has shut down its operations, and staring at bankruptcy or a distress sale. they are also in talks with players in similar space for acquisitions. ✍🏻So What is this Kirana B to B or B to C grocery wholesale/Retail market ? and why it is called graveyard for startups in India ? Their are many prominent players or startups who have raised crores of funding but Non of them have shown a sign of positivity in their financials.. Jumbotail udaan.com ElasticRun DealShare 1K Milkbasket bigbasket.com Zepto Blinkit are few of them But why is this market so competitive ? And why no one is able to crack the code ? for that Lets understand what this business model is ... Usually a material moves from Manufacturing facility>>Company Warehouse/CNF >> Distributor/SS >>wholesaler>> Retailer>>Consumer. and companies Like Unilever , BRITANIA FOODS LTD , Parle Agro Pvt Ltd , Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, Godrej Properties Limited, Emami Ltd, L'Oréal have put lot of efforts, hard work and years to create this distribution channel for their products to move smoothly from their facility to consumers. Together they all control over 60%-70% of Indian Consumer Industry and non of them wants to disturb their existing channel. Well Startups are eyeing in this space of distribution channel where they are leveraging technology to create "𝑨𝒍𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍" for B to B Grocery startups Manufacturing facility >>Startup warehouse >>Retailer for B to C Startups Manufacturing facility >> Startup warehouse >>Consumer For small companies or budding entrepreneurs into consumer space creating a distribution channel is nightmare, they can leverage services from these startups for their Pan India distribution. and that is the major space where these startups can add value to the sector. But for startups it is very difficult to create space due to challenges like High Logistic & supply chain cost. High warehousing cost. High technology maintenance cost. Low demand for new age companies. Lack of awareness of products for new age companies which increase Inventory Turn out time. And for that Startups have to depend on existing players for larger Volumes, but these companies offer steep margins. So one side their is pressure from Investors for Volume and another side Margin pressure from biggies. So what is Remedy to the Problem.. 💊This scenario might change in future when Margin share from large corporates like this will reduce and New age companies market share will increase , but that need lots n lots of consistency from them. so patience till then. 💊Startups should remain Low profile, be frugal and provide good quality distribution services to small and medium companies rather than focus on large corporates. Share me your thoughts on same 👇🏻 #startup #Kiranatech #technology #consumergoods

Funding Requirements of Startups During Their Lifecycle Stages: Startups are entrepreneurial ventures designed to solve problems or address market needs through innovative products, services, or business models. The lifecycle of a startup typically follows several key stages, each with distinct characteristics, challenges, and opportunities.   It begins with the ‘Ideation Stage’, where founders identify a market problem and brainstorm innovative solutions, focusing on research and concept validation. RedBus emerged from Phanindra Sama's personal experience of booking bus tickets, inspiring an online ticketing platform. As the idea takes shape, startups enter the ‘Pre-Seed Stage’, where a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is developed to test feasibility. At this stage, initial funding often comes from personal resources, friends, or angel investors. A notable example is Paytm, which started as a prepaid mobile recharge service, testing its MVP with a limited audience before scaling its operations. Each stage sets the foundation for the next, as startups evolve toward market readiness and growth.   In the ‘Seed Stage’, startups focus on developing their core product, launching beta versions, and refining their business model based on user feedback, as seen with Zomato (formerly Foodiebay), which used seed funding to enhance its offerings. Once validated and gaining traction, startups move to the ‘Growth Stage’, prioritizing scaling operations, customer acquisition, and market expansion. For example, OYO Rooms grew from a single-city operation to a global hospitality brand, while BYJU'S scaled from an online platform for competitive exams to a leading ed-tech company with a diverse portfolio.   In the ‘Maturity Stage’, startups focus on profitability and diversification, as seen with MakeMyTrip expanding into holiday packages and travel insurance, and Freshworks evolving into a global SaaS provider with multiple offerings. The ‘Exit or Renewal Stage’ follows, where founders choose between exiting through IPOs, mergers, or acquisitions, or renewing the business through innovation. Flipkart exemplifies an exit with its $16 billion acquisition by Walmart, while Swiggy demonstrated renewal by launching Instamart to address grocery delivery demands during the pandemic.   Startups require different levels and types of funding as they progress through their lifecycle stages. From self-funded ideation to VC-backed growth and strategic investments at maturity, each stage demands a unique financial strategy. Success stories like Urban Company, formerly UrbanClap, has continuously evolved its services based on consumer needs, making it a leading name in home services. Dream11, which started as a niche fantasy sports platform, capitalized on India’s cricket craze and grew to become the first gaming unicorn in the country. #innovation #startups !!!

🚀 Weekly Funding Report: Indian Startups (24 – 29 June 2024) 🚀 This week, Indian startups raised $211 million in funding across 25 deals, comprising 9 growth-stage and 15 early-stage investments. Notable transactions included upGrad's $35 million debt funding and Rocketlane's $24 million in Series B funding. Key Highlights: Growth-stage Deals: $150.84 million raised by 9 startups, including upGrad, Rocketlane, and Rupeek. Early-stage Deals: $60.13 million secured by 15 startups like Zyod and Cloudphysician. City-wise Breakdown: Bengaluru led with 10 deals, followed by Delhi-NCR and Mumbai. Segment-wise Distribution: Fintech led with 4 deals, followed by E-commerce and Healthtech. M&A Activity: Finnest acquired a majority stake in Kitchens@, while Nodwin Gaming increased its stake in Freaks 4U. Potential Deals: Ecom Express plans to raise $172 million via a rights issue, and Zepto is eyeing an additional $400 million at a $4.6 billion valuation. New Launches: Flipkart Group launches super.money for financial services, CoinDCX introduces Web3 mode, and Acko enters the car repair space with Acko Drive Service Centre. Market Insights: Zomato now holds 56-57% of the food delivery market, surpassing Swiggy, according to Goldman Sachs. Regulatory Updates: Online gaming companies are under scrutiny for offering cashback promotions to users. Industry News: Avanse Financial files for a Rs 3,500 crore IPO to fuel expansion. Stay updated with more insights on funding, acquisitions, and market trends in the Indian startup ecosystem. #StartupFunding #IndianStartups #MergersAndAcquisitions #TechNews #Finance #Flipkart #Zomato #EcomExpress #Zepto #AvanseFinancial #Fintech #Healthtech #Ecommerce Read more here on entrackr.com : https://rb.gy/zgowvl

The Dangers of Investing in High-Growth Startups: In the fast-paced world of high-growth startups, not every success story is built to last. A striking example of this is MamaEarth, which has seen its valuation plummet by 50% in just three months. Initially listed at ₹15,000 crore, it now stands at ₹7,300 crore—a stark reminder of the volatility in these markets. So, what went wrong, and what lessons can investors learn from this? Overvaluation and the Risk of Hype Companies like MamaEarth, Zomato, and Ola operate in fiercely competitive sectors, from food delivery to personal care, where new players are constantly emerging. With thousands of brands competing for attention, it becomes difficult for any single company to sustain its market leadership. The danger lies in the hype. Investors often chase companies with the promise of rapid growth, but once the initial excitement fades, the reality of profitability—or lack thereof—becomes clear. The VC Exit and the Retail Investor Trap A major issue after an IPO is the exit strategy for venture capital (VC) firms. VCs typically cash out their positions when a company goes public, selling shares to the retail investors who are eager to join the “next big thing.” While this works out for VCs, retail investors often end up suffering the consequences when the stock price drops post-IPO, especially if the company’s business model is not built on sustainable fundamentals. This creates a classic scenario where VCs exit with their profits, while retail investors, lacking access to insider knowledge or liquidity, are left holding the bag. Why These Startups May Struggle to Survive Reliance on Investor Capital: Unlike traditional businesses that focus on cash flow and profitability, many of these startups operate at a loss, relying heavily on investor funding to drive customer acquisition and expansion. This model is sustainable only as long as the investment capital keeps flowing, but when the market cools or investors shift their focus, these companies can struggle to survive. Low Barriers to Entry: The sectors these companies operate in—like quick commerce, food delivery, and personal care—have relatively low barriers to entry. This makes it easy for new players to enter the market, creating intense competition and reducing the profitability of incumbents. Without significant differentiation or a unique value proposition, these companies can be easily overtaken by more agile competitors. The "Jio Effect" and Market Disruption: A useful comparison can be drawn to Jio’s disruption of the telecom market. Jio’s massive capital infusion into the sector forced competitors to either adapt or exit. However, telecom is a capital-intensive industry with significant regulatory barriers, which limited the number of new entrants. Sectors like food delivery and personal care have much lower barriers, which makes them more susceptible to disruption by new players with better funding or more innovative business models.

Startup funding in India dipped this week from $362 million to $138.7 million, a decrease of over 60%. This means that fewer startups were able to raise money this week compared to last week. There were still some bright spots, though. Two new funds were launched to invest in startups: Inflexor Ventures' Rs 350 crore Opportunities Fund and Northern Arc's $65 million Climate Fund. These funds will focus on early-stage startups and climate-related projects, respectively. Here's a breakdown of the funding deals this week: * Growth-stage deals: There were 3 deals worth a total of $55.92 million. Easy Home Finance, a home financing company, raised the most money with $35 million. * Early-stage deals: There were 20 deals worth a total of $82.78 million. UnifyApps, an enterprise integration platform, was the top recipient of funding in this category. * City-wise deals: Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR led the way with 7 deals each, followed by Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. * Segment-wise deals: Fintech, SaaS, and AI startups were the most funded, with 3 deals each. There were also some interesting developments in the startup ecosystem this week: * ONDC, a new platform for online commerce, recorded 14 million transactions in October, a sign that it's gaining traction. * The food safety regulator is meeting with quick commerce companies to discuss concerns about selling near-expired food. * The government is investigating e-commerce companies like Amazon and Flipkart for potential violations of financial regulations. * The tax department raided Truecaller's offices for possible tax evasion. * Food delivery giants Swiggy and Zomato were found to have engaged in anti-competitive practices. Overall, it was a mixed week for Indian startups. While funding dipped, there were some positive developments, such as the launch of new funds and the growth of ONDC. The government's crackdown on e-commerce companies and the investigation into Swiggy and Zomato could have a significant impact on the industry in the coming weeks.

Breaking News in the Startup World! Indian grocery startup Zepto has just announced a massive $665 million raised in their latest investment round, marking this milestone in less than a year since their last fundraising. This achievement underscores the skyrocketing demand for quick delivery of essentials, and it got me thinking: How did they manage to pull this off so swiftly? As someone passionate about startup dynamics and fundraising, I delved deep into understanding what sets successful startups like Zepto apart. Here are some key insights I found relevant and would love your thoughts on them! 🔍 What's the problem they're solving? • Highlight your TA's pain points: Zepto addresses the urgent need for quick delivery in urban areas where time is a premium. • Your solution & why it's a need: Their promise of delivering groceries within minutes meets the demand for speed and convenience. 👥 Team - Who's behind the wheel? • Showcase your team + hiring process: A stellar team with a robust hiring process ensures that only the best talent drives the mission. • Happy team = productive team = happy business: Cultivating a positive work environment is crucial for sustained growth and innovation. 📈 Can the business grow? • Talk about the future of your industry: Quick commerce is on the rise, promising vast opportunities. 👑 What's their leadership style? • How do you keep your team motivated?: Zepto’s leadership likely focuses on clear communication, recognition, and aligning team goals with the company vision. • How do you bring out the best in them?: Empowering employees and fostering a culture of innovation and ownership. ✨ What sets them apart? • Talk about your USP: Zepto’s unique selling proposition is its ultra-fast delivery model. 🌟 What's their vision and mission? • Why do you do what you do?: Understanding the deeper purpose behind the startup’s mission. • Share the backstory: The founder’s journey and the startup’s inception story resonate with investors and customers alike. 🚀 Are they making progress? • Share the updates, talk about your wins: Regularly communicating achievements and milestones. • Subtly highlight your MOM or YOY growth: Demonstrating consistent progress is key to gaining investor trust. 👥 Founder branding is more important than ever. > Investors often say they invest in people, not just ideas. Use LinkedIn to humanize your solution, show the impact, and highlight the growth potential. Think of LinkedIn as the matrimonial site for ambitious founders and supportive investors. Let's keep this conversation going – what do you think is the secret sauce behind successful fundraising? Share your thoughts below! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow Sanya Malik for more such insights ❤️ #StartupSuccess #Fundraising #Zepto #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #QuickCommerce #Leadership #GrowthMindset #LinkedInTips #Investment

Current Startup Industry Insights in India: Funding, CXO News, and Market Trends India's startup ecosystem is buzzing with notable updates, reflecting the dynamic growth and innovation across various sectors. Here’s a quick overview of the latest developments: ###FundingUpdates 1. Zolve : This fintech startup, offering borderless banking solutions, recently secured $40 million in Series B funding. Led by DST Global, the investment will help Zolve expand its services across more international markets. 2. CureMetrix : A healthtech company specializing in AI-powered mammography analysis, raised $30 million in Series C funding. The round was led by Perceptive Advisors, aimed at advancing their diagnostic technology and expanding their clinical reach. 3. Furlenco : The furniture rental startup closed a $20 million funding round led by Lightbox Ventures. This capital will support Furlenco’s expansion into new cities and the enhancement of their product offerings. ###CXONews 1. Razorpay : The payments and financial services startup announced the appointment of Rishi Gupta as its new Chief Operating Officer. Gupta, formerly with PayU, will focus on scaling Razorpay’s operations and enhancing product offerings. 2. Unacademy : The edtech giant has brought on board Manish Kumar as the new Chief Revenue Officer. Kumar, previously with BYJU’S, will drive Unacademy’s revenue growth and strategic partnerships. 3. ShareChat : ShareChat has appointed Shailesh Rao as its Chief Business Officer. Rao, who joins from Twitter, will lead monetization strategies and growth initiatives for the social media platform. ###MarketTrends 1. #AgriTechInnovations: DeHaat , a startup offering tech solutions to farmers, recently launched new features to enhance crop advisory services. This development aligns with the increasing interest in agri-tech solutions for improving agricultural productivity. 2. #EcommerceGrowth: Meesho , an online reselling platform, is expanding its reach into tier-2 and tier-3 cities with a new set of tools for micro-entrepreneurs. This move reflects the growing e-commerce market in India’s smaller cities. 3. #HealthandWellness: Urban Company , a home services startup, is expanding its wellness services with a new line of health and beauty offerings. This expansion is driven by the growing consumer demand for at-home health services. In summary, India's startup landscape is vibrant and evolving, with significant funding rounds, strategic leadership appointments, and innovative market developments shaping the future. Keeping an eye on these trends provides valuable insights into the growth trajectory of the Indian startup ecosystem. #StartupIndia #FundingUpdates #CXONews #TechInnovation #MarketTrends #TheBusinessFame